Criminal justice social work system must be improved, says minister

Improvements need to be made in the criminal justice social work system in order to ensure it is better linked up, a minister has said.

Kevin Stewart, the Social Care Minister, said no decision has yet been made on whether to include the service in the planned National Care Service (NCS).

He told MSPs on Holyrood’s Criminal Justice Committee that an “in principle decision” on this will be made in Autumn 2023, with a final decision due around April 2024.

He said the Government was keen to make improvements to criminal justice social work whether it ended up “in or out” of the NCS.

Mr Stewart said he had been listening to people with “lived experience” in the sector.

Giving one example, he said: “One of the folks we’ve listened to is a young guy who is at risk of offending who has 15 different interventions going on.

“And those are not necessarily linked.”

He added: “Sometimes he feels like he’s being put from pillar to post and he doesn’t know really who to trust in terms of the advice he’s receiving.

“These are the kind of situations that no matter whether in, or out, we have to do better in terms of outcomes for people.”

Mr Stewart acknowledged that some had concerns about the “pace of change” the NCS could bring.

Councils and other groups have raised fears about the remit of the national service.

Mr Stewart said: “NCS as far as I’m concerned is the best way forward.”